خبير الأمم المتحدة المعني بحرية التعبير يختتم حلقة دراسية مع القضاة الاتحاديين في البرازيل

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (10 April 2014) – The Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection on the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, Mr. Frank La Rue, concluded yesterday a joint initiative with the Special Rapporteur of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Ms. Catalina Botero and the Regional Office of UNESCO a seminar for Federal Judges of Brazil on the Challenges of Freedom of Expression.

This event was organized by the Honorable Joaquim Barbosa, President of the Supreme Court of Brazil, jointly with Instituto Demos-Guatemala, and hosted by the Federal Judge Leila Maria Carrillo Cavalcante Ribeiro Mariano, President of the Court of Rio de Janeiro.

“This initiative grew out of the common concern to reach a human rights approach to all issues related to the right to freedom of expression, which are increasingly complicated,” Special Rapporteur Frank La Rue stated.

“This constitutes a new approach for the understanding and respect of human rights that brings together Judges and human rights experts for a common goal: to guarantee justice for all; we expect this for our country and hope we will set good practiced useful to other countries,” Supreme Court President Barbosa said.

This event was held in the Main Hall of the Supreme Court of the State of Rio de Janeiro on 7-8 April 2014 and included four thematic panels: a) Violence against journalists and the obligation to prevent, protect and investigate crimes and the role of the judiciary; b) Access to information, freedom of expression and the judiciary; c) Internet and freedom of expression: new challenges; and d) Criminal law and freedom of expression: public deliberation, democracy and criminal law.

The seminar was attended by Judges, attorneys, students of law and communication, journalists and social communicators.

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Frank La Rue (Guatemala) was appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council as Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression in August 2008. As Special Rapporteur, he is independent from any State or organization and works in his individual capacity.

For further information on the Special Rapporteur’s mandate, please visit: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/FreedomOpinion/Pages/OpinionIndex.aspx or contact: freedex@ohchr.org